


A year

by Namixart



Category: Final Fantasy IV
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, seriously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-06-04 02:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6637264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Namixart/pseuds/Namixart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ten days to trust him,<br/>Sixty-four days to laugh together,<br/>A year to fall in love</p>
            </blockquote>





	A year

**Day 1**  
_She barely trusts him to carry their supplies_

Nobody could say things like _that_ and be genuine.  
Maybe it’s because she’s been raised by Eidolons, but Rydia values straightforwardness and sincerity. But whenever Edge opens his mouth, it’s an avalanche of flattery and jokes. She has an uneasy feeling in her bones; she thinks she almost _knows_ he’ll backstab them all if given the chance.  
But she can’t shake off a feeble hope that it’s not true, because the empty hallways of the Tower of Babil are easier to bear with someone to make her crack a smile now and then.

**Day 11**  
_She trusts him not to lie to her_

She’s seen his eyes as his parents bid him farewell and disintegrated in his very hands. She’s heard his anguished scream and she’s watched his rage while fighting Rubicante.  
When the Archfiend is gone, he’s on his knees, shaking. He bows his head and gets up, a smile plastered on his face. He’s full of bravado, but as they head out of the room, she turns ever so slightly, and he’s looking at his feet. He glances up at her and she knows it from the pain in his eyes.  
This is a man who’s never lied, who now shares a connection with her and understands better than anyone else.   
She tells herself to be wary of him, but she fails to follow her own advice.

**Day 31**  
_She trusts him to shake her out of her nightmares_

She’s seen too many horrors in her life. They hunt her in her sleep, when her magic won’t help her. She hears herself scream and cry, but she can’t wake up.  
And just as she’s about to crumble to her night terrors, she opens her eyes and Edge’s shaking her awake. Once he sees her eyes, he hugs her close, and she notices he’s shaking as well because of his own nightmare. He strokes her hair and whisper soothing words, maybe to calm them both down.  
She relaxes into his arms and returns the embrace. She may deny it in the sunlight, but after the moons rise they’re exactly alike.

**Day 64**  
_She trusts him to survive every battle with her_

She feels his hand on his cheek, wiping off a stray tear. She wishes she was a bit faster, a bit stronger, so he wouldn’t have to always put himself in danger for her.  
He listens to her, and then he laughs. His smile reaches his eyes when he tells her he’d do it a thousand times if it means keeping her safe.  
She glares at him and slaps his arm, but after a few moments they’re laughing together and her heart feels a bit lighter, because they’re both here.

**Day 92**  
_She trusts him to break her fall and laugh afterwards_

It takes a while for it to sink in. They stare at each other over Zeromus’s dead shell. Then they move at once.  
He lifts her into his arms and spins her around until they fall on top of each other, laughing like little children. The world is saved and they need this little moment, while Rydia smiles through the tears and maybe Edge is crying too.  
He pulls her into a bone crushing hug and she allows herself to breathe in synch with him.

**Day 188**  
_She trusts him to lighten up a bit her memories_

The Feymarch might be her home, but it’s dark and cold and she misses her friends. She counts the days - has it been so long already?  
Time flows strangely in the Land of Summoned Monsters, but she knows how to hold on to her memories.  
When her room is dark, she remembers his warm smile and silly jokes. She remembers the nights they spent talking or just looking into the fire in silence.  
And she smiles as well, knowing they’ll see each other again.

**Day 261**  
_She isn't sure she can fully trust him after today_

She thought she knew him better. Maybe it was all in her head.  
He was right in front of her, but he turned away with an unreadable expression on his face. She feels her heart contract painfully and spends the night on the roof of Baron’s Castle, looking at the stars and thinking.  
Maybe she fooled herself into thinking they were friends. Maybe time really does flow differently in the Feymarch and he’s angry she vanished down there for so long.  
Maybe she was wrong to trust him so much.

**Day 262**  
_She trusts him, however, to always find her_

After midnight she hears footsteps. He knew he’d find her here and sits down beside her. She doesn’t look at him until he starts talking quietly.  
He apologizes and tells her about his kingdom - she’d forgotten he’s a king now - and then she tells him about her home. They talk until dawn, when they fall asleep on each other.  
She thinks they couldn’t be closer and smiles into the rising sun.

**Day 297**  
_She trusts him to prove her wrong_

Of course they can be closer. She doesn’t know if she’ll go back in the Feymarch, but she doesn’t have a home on the surface world. When Edge sees her indecision, he timidly speaks up. He makes a long, careful speech, but Rydia doesn’t let him finish before hugging him tight to hide her tears.  
“You could come with me. My home can be your home too, if you want.”  
Those are the words she replays in her mind as she tries to fall asleep. She fails, because she feels like bursting from the affection she has for this boy.

**Day 325**  
_She trusts him to be her home_

Her mother told her she couldn’t stay in the Feymarch. She’s crushed, but the Queen’s mind is made up.  
Kind, gentle Leviathan offers to bring her in the human world and asks for a destination. She doesn’t hesitate.  
When she arrives on the shore, he’s already opening the castle gate for her and waits with his arms wide open and a grin that threatens to rip his face in half.  
She embraces him, breathes him in and, suddenly, she feels safe again. At home again.

**Day 340**  
_She trusts him to almost lean too close_

They are in Baron for a visit, but when he pulls her under his cloak and they slip away from the banquet she doesn’t protest. They wander the snowy fields around the castle, in silence.  
The atmosphere is surreal and she almost doesn’t notice they’re both leaning towards each other until their faces are a breath apart. That’s when they both realize it and pull away quickly, facing the other direction.  
Rydia can feel that her cheeks are warm and she’s willing to bet Edge’s are too, but she doesn’t dare looking at him.  
However, when he hesitantly slips his hand in hers, she intertwines their fingers and holds it tight.

**Day 358**  
_She trusts him to make everything okay_

She can’t find any excuses as to why she kisses him at the end of a tiring day. He’s in the middle of a sentence and he’s looking at the moons, but she stands on her tiptoes and takes his face into her hands.  
A second later, she’s got her lips firmly planted on his.  
Another second, his hands are in her hair and he’s kissing back.  
One last second and they part and breathe together, holding each other.  
And then, she’s gone. She runs off and hides behind a wall, while he is left in the middle of the courtyard, wondering what just happened.  
She holds her hands over her mouth. She’s scared and she almost regrets everything. Almost.  
She’s afraid she’s ruined everything by running away, but she also knows that they’ll work this out.  
Together, they can fix anything.

**Day 365**  
_She trusts him with her heart_

It’s New Year’s Eve. There’s a big ball at Eblan Castle and all of their friends are there. Edge and Rydia chat with everyone while still keeping a bit of an embarrassed distance.  
Of course, Edward notices. Rydia sees him talking to Edge and gesturing wildly. When he notices her, Edge swallows a lump in his throat. Edward gives her a wide smile, then nudges Edge in her direction. The young king glares at him, but faces her nonetheless.  
His voice wavers a little when he asks her to dance. She nearly stammers her ‘yes’.  
They stay at the borders of the ballroom, still a bit uncomfortable. The other night is forefront in both of their minds.  
But they _do_ always work everything out, and in a few minutes they’re at the center of the ballroom, awkwardness forgotten.  
They seem to be born to dance together, while they laugh and chat. Their friends have to handle themselves, because the master of the house doesn’t seem to be intentioned to leave his lady’s side, tonight. Of course, no one minds.  
Edge and Rydia are the only one dancing, now, but they don’t notice.  
After they dance into the New Year, after he gathers the courage to kiss her with a whispered ‘I love you’ pressed between their lips, she finally knows she trusts him with her heart.


End file.
